I started each asset of this project out as a line drawing from a reference photo, starting with the bear skull before placing it in the crystal ball. Inside, I used a series of blends to give it a three-dimensional look.

With the centerpiece of the composition out of the way, I moved on to the animals. Starting with the owl, I made a stylistic decision to forego thick outlines for the solid color look. It lends itself more to the current popular styles of cartoons and less to airbrush. I achieved many of the color shifts seen in the final product with selective gradients and blends.

Creating the background was the quickest part. The donuts and bones on the floor were rendered using Illustrator’s 3D tools. Lighting was applied selectively in vector shapes.